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Is it wrong to pre-order a game for a beta key and then cancel?
- Thread starter TheDanger
- Start date
SinCityAssassin
Member
I mean if you played the beta and didn't like it, wouldn't that make you more informed of your purchase and not buy it?
my stance as well which is why I see no problem doing it.
Broken Joystick
At least you can talk. Who are you?
I wouldn't say wrong but agree with the sentiment.
Nights Owl
Member
Seems like "gaming the system" to me. I'm personally not a fan and would not do it myself.
However I'm sure some people may pre-order to get the beta, and be unimpressed with it, then cancel, and I wouldn't consider that wrong.
I guess it depends on if you actually have the intention of buying the game or not in the first place.
In the end I don't really have much care for it either way. But the needle would be in the "bad" end ever so slightly.
For reference, I also think Betas shouldn't be a preorder bonus.
However I'm sure some people may pre-order to get the beta, and be unimpressed with it, then cancel, and I wouldn't consider that wrong.
I guess it depends on if you actually have the intention of buying the game or not in the first place.
In the end I don't really have much care for it either way. But the needle would be in the "bad" end ever so slightly.
For reference, I also think Betas shouldn't be a preorder bonus.
purseowner
Member
No, it is right to exploit such scummy business practices.
katsubento
Member
If you had zero intention of buying it, kinda. If you were on the fence and changed your mind after, not so much.
That's just how I view it. People have their own ideas about it. I'm sure many would go more extreme in either way.
That's just how I view it. People have their own ideas about it. I'm sure many would go more extreme in either way.
Rellik
Member
Depends if it's Ubisoft or not. They have a history (with me) of shitty betas and the final game turning out much better.
Mr.Deadshot
Member
Yes, it's wrong. On the other hand you do a shitty thing to bypass another shitty thing. So you have to decide for yourself if you can life with that burden ;-)
Theoretically you could preorder for a beta, dislike said beta once you get hands on and cancel the preorder as you lost interest in the game. So no, that's your call to do as a consumer.
Just snap canceling after getting the code is obviously what most people will do but the option to cancel needs to be present, so if there's anything 'wrong' with it maybe they should just kinda stop holding codes behind doing this since the only way to prevent it would be making a preorder impossible to cancel.
Just snap canceling after getting the code is obviously what most people will do but the option to cancel needs to be present, so if there's anything 'wrong' with it maybe they should just kinda stop holding codes behind doing this since the only way to prevent it would be making a preorder impossible to cancel.
First post wins again. Fuck publishers who do this. It was bullshit when MS did it with Crackdown and Halo 3, it's bullshit now
well obviously devs/publishers wouldn't lock betas behind pre orders if they wanted people to play the beta without buying it. What other reason would there be?
I think that's a bit of a push to be honest. They don't owe anybody the chance to test the game by default.
Tyraniboah
Member
Nailed it. Don't feel bad at all. A beta lets you make a more informed purchase decision. Don't sweat it
With the way most games are nowadays, everyone who buys the game basically tests it.
You can definitely argue that case, but that's a slightly different discussion in my opinion because the product has actually been bought and paid for.
Ceadeus
Gold Member
There you go. My thought too
First post nails it. I always pre-order games to play the beta. If I like the beta I keep the pre-order, if I don't I cancel it. Simple as that. However, most of the time I already know whether I want to buy the game or not, like Destiny 2 or Call of Duty WW2.
Kenzodielocke
Banned
Lol no. They can generate infinite of these codes. And you shouldn't be locked into a pre-order if you hate the beta.
AHA-Lambda
Member
Umm, of course not??
Wha--?
It's very simple, as no money has changed hands.
The only expense had been on pubs for the beta's development and launch, which is subsidised by the game's own development, and the remainder being marketing costs anyway.
To artificially boost pre orders that's all. It's advertising.
Pre order locked betas are just advertising exercises, they're made to sell games.
Pubs lose nothing if you pre order and cancel.
Think of it logically OP, say for example you pre order a game and then the reviews come in before release and it's rubbish, and so you decide to cancel your pre order before it releases.
Is that morally wrong? Of course it clearly isn't.
And there is very little difference between your described scenario and mine.
Both transactionally have 1 pre order that is then cancelled between you and a retailer, no money has changed hands, and no obligation is outstanding.
Wha--?
It's very simple, as no money has changed hands.
The only expense had been on pubs for the beta's development and launch, which is subsidised by the game's own development, and the remainder being marketing costs anyway.
To artificially boost pre orders that's all. It's advertising.
Pre order locked betas are just advertising exercises, they're made to sell games.
Pubs lose nothing if you pre order and cancel.
Think of it logically OP, say for example you pre order a game and then the reviews come in before release and it's rubbish, and so you decide to cancel your pre order before it releases.
Is that morally wrong? Of course it clearly isn't.
And there is very little difference between your described scenario and mine.
Both transactionally have 1 pre order that is then cancelled between you and a retailer, no money has changed hands, and no obligation is outstanding.
DroneBrother
Banned
This
JayBabay
Member
I mean if you never wanted the game then maybe it's not proper, but if you are interested before the beta, but after you lost interest or didn't like what you saw then I don't see what's wrong with cancelling. I would cancel even if I played the beta if the game turned out to be underwhelming.
Mediking
Member
See what happens when you ignore feeling bad?
Give in to that feeling!
Muhahahahahahahahahaha!
Because you are not keeping the goods nor are you getting the full product.
Gravy Boat
Member
It's their own fault for locking demos behind a pre-order. Because lets be honest, they are just demos. The term 'beta' lost all meaning in this industry a few years ago.
YoRHa No.2 Type B
Banned
Is it wrong to fuck a woman and leave her with the child behind?
No. Locking the beta behind a preorder is a shitty practice. The original idea behind a public beta is that you can provide feedback and data in order to improve the game. You are actually helping the dev team. That you are able to play the game early is just a side effect or at least that's how it used to be. Now betas tend to be just glorified demos more often than not. It's a way to drum up hype and excitement for the final game and part of the marketing strategy. If you can circumvent that bullshit then go for it. No need to feel bad.
Let's be honest beta just means demo at this point.
Holygriever
Banned
Y'all are reading "beta" and thinking "demo".
Mediking
Member
I guess I'm not the only one with father issues. ;_;
Salty Rice
Member
Not really.
Its not great but it makes sense especially if the game has multiple betas.
You'd have to think we're entitled to a beta to believe this.
OP you're not wrong either. The preorder is for the game, not the beta itself. Preorders come with the right to cancel at any time for any reason up to the game's release.
Preordering just to get the beta of a game you aren't interested in is gaming the system at worst, and even then the publish would rather you play the beta (and potentially like it) than ignore the game altogether.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Sure as hell beats the lottery system betas.
You're pretending there's still a difference.